Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna was named Championship Manager of the Year at last weekend's EFL Awards. Stuart Watson spoke to him about the big promotion push ahead.

 

A quick pace was established early, a four-club pack opened up an unassailable lead at the front but haven't been unable to shake each other off.

Now physically and mentally fatigued after pushing each other all the way, Ipswich, Leicester, Leeds and Southampton have missed a few steps as the Championship season - football's most gruelling marathon - nears its end.

Who can dig deepest for a kick to the line? Only two can claim glory. The other two will then go back to the start and somehow find the energy for a 100m dash.

East Anglian Daily Times: Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna believes his team are going to need a near flawless three-game finish to secure a top-two finish.Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna believes his team are going to need a near flawless three-game finish to secure a top-two finish. (Image: PA)

"We knew from quite a while ago that it's going to take a really good points total this year," said Blues boss Kieran McKenna.

"We've expected the other teams to win all their games to be honest. I know that hasn't been the case, but the quality is so high that we're going into our last three (Hull away, Coventry away and Huddersfield at home) expecting that we're going to have to pick up a lot of points.

"The way we do that is by sticking to what we have done and that's focusing on ourselves and our performances and trusting that, over the course of time, that will bring us the rewards."

Leicester, Leeds and Southampton are all feeling the heat to return to the top table at the first time of asking. Ipswich, who have just tried to compete and entertain from game-to-game after stepping up from League One, now have a huge prize within touching distance. 

East Anglian Daily Times: Leicester City's Patson Daka reacts after having a goal disallowed in the recent 1-0 defeat at Plymouth Argyle.Leicester City's Patson Daka reacts after having a goal disallowed in the recent 1-0 defeat at Plymouth Argyle. (Image: PA)

Pressure can do funny things. Leicester have lost three of their last five. Leeds have won just one of their last five. Southampton won only three in nine recently, but are now back on the charge. Ipswich, still top of the last 10 form table, recently followed up an East Anglian derby defeat with back-to-back home draws. Is this purely a psychological battle now?

"I think at this stage of the season that comes into it more," agreed McKenna. "I think it's fair to say that keeping your composure and being really strong and tight from a mental point of view as a group is really important. 

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"But my honest opinion is I don't think it's been a big factor for us.

"You take the last block of games, we've won a couple, drawn a couple, lost one, but they've been really tough games - Blackburn away, Southampton, then having three play-off chasing teams in Norwich, Watford and Middlesbrough in the space of seven days. 

East Anglian Daily Times: Leeds United's Ethan Ampadu reacts following his team's recent 1-0 home defeat at Blackburn Rovers.Leeds United's Ethan Ampadu reacts following his team's recent 1-0 home defeat at Blackburn Rovers. (Image: PA)

"I've been happy with our performances in general, probably bar one of those games (Norwich), and I think our players are enjoying it. They're enjoying the run-in, they're enjoying the games, they're enjoying the competition.

"This is not trying to shy away from anything, but we don't feel like there's pressure on us to the extent of the other teams. We know what the goal is, we're working with everything we can towards it and I think we're enjoying the run-in."

Ipswich have muscle memory to call upon, of course, from their similarly high quality four-way promotion battle this time last year. The final tallies were Plymouth (101pts), Ipswich (98pts), Sheffield Wednesday (96pts) and Barnsley (86pts). The Blues had to win 13 of their final 15 games to get over the line, including big wins on the road against Bolton, Derby, Peterborough and Barnsley.

East Anglian Daily Times: Southampton are back in the top-two race after winning their last three games.Southampton are back in the top-two race after winning their last three games. (Image: PA)

McKenna was pipped to the League One Manager of the Year award by Plymouth's Steven Schumacher. One year on, he has just been named Championship Manager of the Year with the top end of the second-tier table currently reading Ipswich (P43, 89pts), Leicester (P42, 88pts), Leeds (P43, 87pts), Southampton (P42, 84pts).

Would the Blues boss have believed me had this scenario been painted to him 12 months back?

"Not in terms of the context of where we're at, to be honest," he replied. "As a newly-promoted team in the Championship I think it would have been a great achievement to be competitive in the division and establish our style.

East Anglian Daily Times: Ipswich Town haven't won since Jeremy Sarmiento's dramatic 97th minute goal sealed a 3-2 victory against Southampton on Easter Monday.Ipswich Town haven't won since Jeremy Sarmiento's dramatic 97th minute goal sealed a 3-2 victory against Southampton on Easter Monday. (Image: PA)

"But if you'd have said we'd have the points that we have and be where we are in the division, that would probably have been above anyone's expectations. 

"But we were confident we could have an impact, we were confident that the work we'd put in place the season before would stand us in good stead, that our identity would travel well upwards, the way we worked would travel well upwards and we're really glad that's proved to be the case so far."